Harry Belafonte, the legendary singer and significant Civil Rights activist, has died at the age of 96. According to reports, the “Day-O” (Banana Boat) singer died on Tuesday from congestive heart failure at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. As news broke of the passing of the celebrated musician, director Spike Lee posted a sweet tribute to his social media.
According to the New York Post, Belafonte’s longtime publicist and spokesperson, Ken Sunshine, confirmed the sad news to the publication. The Do the Right Thing filmmaker, who is known for socially relevant movies, took to Instagram to honor the esteemed activist and performer while taking the time to remind his followers to take the time to celebrate their elders while they are “still with us.” You can see the moving tribute for yourself below.
Belafonte was a New York City native with Jamaican roots and was a crucial figure in the folk music scene of the 1950s. Born on March 1, 1927, in Harlem to West Indian immigrants, Belafonte was raised in Jamaica before returning to New York City. He dropped out of high school and enlisted in the US Navy, where he was honorably discharged after two years.
The singer spent much of his time at the Harlem community theater and joined the Dramatic Workshop of the New School of Social Research to pursue his passion for theater and jazz.
While not the first Black performer to transcend racial lines, following in the footsteps of Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and others, Belafonte was a significant contributor to introducing American audiences to black faces during a time of segregation and deep racial tensions. His album “Calypso” contained the hit “Day-O” (fans of Beetlejuice will remember from one of the film’s most memorable scenes and his other hit “Jump in the Line” used in the film’s ending) topped the Billboard album chart shortly after its release in 1956, staying there for 31 weeks, and was said to be the first album by a single artist to sell more than a million copies.
His musical stardom paved the way for acting. Harry Belafonte made history as the first Black person to win an Emmy in 1960. The three-time Grammy Award-winner and actor also made his mark on Broadway in “John Murray Anderson’s Almanac” and “Three for Tonight.” The “Limbo Song” performer continued accepting acting parts all the way up until 2018, when he had a role in Spike Lee’s The BlacKKKlansman.
Belafonte was not only a performer but also an activist. He was a personal friend and supporter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and even seeded the money to help start the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. The musician was also one of the primary fund-raisers for that organization and Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He received several honors and awards throughout his life from activist groups for his commitment to racial equality. Perhaps most impressive, being the first-ever Nelson Mandela Courage Award recipient.
Harry Belafonte was an outspoken voice and beloved artist who will be sorely missed by his fans and collaborators, such as Spike Lee. Here at CinemaBlend send our condolences to his wife, Pamela Frank, and four children: Shari, David, Adrienne, and Gina.
